Kristen LaChance, MSN, RN, CHSE
Simulation Instructor and Lab Coordinator
About Kristen LaChance, MSN, RN, CHSE
Kristen LaChance, MSN, RN, CHSE, has nearly a decade of clinical and academic experience. After earning her Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) in 2015, she began her career at University Hospital in the Columbia area, working with adult patients on the Progressive Care Unit. Following the birth of her son, she transitioned to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Women’s and Children’s Hospital, deepening her expertise to include critical pediatric care.
She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2020, followed by her Master’s of Science in Nursing in 2023. In March 2021, she made the rewarding transition to full-time nursing education, where she now shares her clinical knowledge and passion for the profession with the next generation of nurses. Currently, she is pursuing her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, emphasizing on simulation research and the ever growing benefit of the teaching method in nursing education.
In August 2025, Kristen earned the Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) credential through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. Currently, just 2,492 individuals are certified nationwide. This nationally recognized distinction reflects her expertise in simulation pedagogy, curriculum design, and evidence-based debriefing practices. The certification underscores her commitment to advancing innovative, high-quality nursing education.
She centers her education practices around compassionate teaching, modeling behaviors she hopes to instill in the nurses who come through her educational care.
Outside of her professional life, she spends with her husband and two young children, baking sourdough and other goodies, and reading a good book.